North Wales man jailed in theft from Montgomery Twp home during drinking party

NORRISTOWN — A North Wales man faces jail time after admitting to his role in the theft of jewelry and other valuables from the home of a friend while attending a drinking party at that Montgomery Township home.

John Nikol Maneos-Cohen, 20, of the 500 block of Joshua Court, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to nine to 23 months in the county jail, to be followed by three years’ probation, after he pleaded guilty to felony charges of theft by unlawful taking and conspiracy in connection with the July 2010 house party that went awry.

President Judge William J. Furber Jr. said Maneos-Cohen is eligible for the jail’s work release program but only after he successfully completes a drug and alcohol counseling program at the jail.

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The judge previously ordered Maneos-Cohen to share with his alleged co-defendant in the payment of restitution, estimated at between $17,939 and $29,854, to the theft victims.

That co-defendant, Alexander Ryan, 19, of the 200 block of Pennbrook Avenue, Lansdale, previously was sentenced to three years’ probation after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of theft by unlawful taking and conspiracy in connection with the incident.

An investigation began on Aug. 8, 2010, when Montgomery Township police responded to a home in the 100 block of Sunrise Drive for a report of a theft. The homeowners told police they had been out of town on vacation and when they returned they discovered that the master bedroom had been ransacked and jewelry valued at about $25,000 had been stolen, according to the arrest affidavit.

The husband and wife also reported that a 32-inch flat screen television, valued at $778, was stolen from the bedroom, along with $300 cash.

The victims subsequently learned from their adult son, who had been staying at the house, that he hosted at least one party while they were away.

“(The son) invited approximately 15 to 20 friends. Alcohol was consumed at the party,” Montgomery Township Police Officer John McGready alleged in the criminal complaint. “(The son) stated that he was intoxicated during the party and did not closely monitor the movements of the guests.”

The victims’ son provided police with the names of those who attended the party and revealed that Ryan and Maneos-Cohen attended after being invited by another guest, according to court papers.

When police confronted Ryan he cooperated and confessed to entering the victims’ bedrooms with Maneos-Cohen and stated that they stole jewelry, a television and cash, according to the arrest affidavit.

The investigation determined that some of the jewelry was sold to a store at the Montgomery Mall for cash and police obtained receipts for those transactions that linked the men to the jewelry theft.

When police confronted Maneos-Cohen about the theft, he allegedly initially claimed that he stole some jewelry from his mother and sold it at the mall. However, when police searched a vehicle regularly operated by Maneos-Cohen they discovered jewelry that was later identified as belonging to the Sunrise Drive theft victims, according to the criminal complaint.